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“They absolutely love it,” Adams said. “They put on an amazing event. And as you saw today, there are so many locals out here. So it’s just great to have that support.”
Gold medallist Eliud Kipchoge, of Kenya, centre, stands with silver medallist Abdi Nageeye, of the Netherlands, left, and bronze medallist Bashir Abdi of Belgium after the race.Credit:AP
When Kipchoge crossed the finish line he became only the third marathon runner to win back-to-back gold medals (he won at Rio 2016) and the first in more than 40 years. Never mind his bronze and silver in the 5000 meters in Athens and Beijing.
More than a minute later his rivals followed. Abdi Nageeye and Bashir Abdi, from the Netherlands and Belgium respectively, joined him on the podium after a sprint finish to the Olympics’ ultimate test of endurance.
“I didn’t want to take a risk,” Kipchoge said of his tactics in getting out early and holding on. “I have been working day and night. I’m very happy.”
Spectators join the fun at the Tokyo Olympics men’s marathon on Sunday.Credit:AP
So was the crowd. Among them was Olympic volunteer Masako Miwa, who travelled from Kyushu Japan’s southernmost major island to Hokkaido, in the country’s far north to watch Japan’s Suguru Osako finish a gallant sixth. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me,” she said. “Many people said it was too difficult because of COVID-19, but we cannot stop.”
Japan has not stopped. For almost three weeks it has put on a show many believed would never happen. On Sunday night at the closing ceremony, it will say farewell to a Games that have weathered a pandemic that has killed more than 4 million people around the world.
The Olympics may only run for 17 days, but these took up every hour of their five years in the making. The host nation crammed each of those years into 17 days and filled them with the world’s hopes, fears and gold medals.
Runners take water at the refreshment point while competing in the men’s marathon in Sapporo, Japan, on Sunday.Credit:Getty Images
These will be among the most controversial, expensive and divided Games ever, but also the most memorable.
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In Sapporo on Saturday night, between COVID-safe perspex screens and sushi platters, the locals gathered. The baseball was on every TV and smartphone.
As Japan went 2-0 up on their way to gold against the US, at the bottom of the eighth, the sushi chefs put down their intricately sliced sashimi, stopped pouring the sake and watched.
This most revered of rituals put on pause for a game of baseball, just as families stopped to watch Peter Bol run around Tokyo Stadium, and locked-down high school students looked away from their schoolwork to watch Emma McKeon win gold.
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The fish could wait.
“Sugoi!,” the crowd screamed. “Great.”
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